Redefining GenAI: ‘Digital Companions’ imbued with Human Values

Over the weekend, I was enthralled by a profoundly insightful and inspiring TED talk delivered by Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI. Interestingly, Mustafa and I share an alma mater, Mansfield College Oxford, where we both enthusiastically engaged in extracurricular activities alongside our studies.

Mustafa’s impassioned proposition, inspired by his son’s innocent perspective, resonated deeply with me: the notion of framing this generation of AI, GenAI, as a new ‘Digital Species’. As he eloquently pointed out, definitions and analogies wield immense power. With each technological revolution, we inevitably encounter resistance, fear, and entrenched interests impeding its potential.

Educating individuals and organizations thoughtfully not only expedites safe adoption but also guides its proliferation in a manner that shapes its applications and maximizes its value — think of the transformative impact of the iPhone.

Yet terms like ‘Agents’, ‘Tools’, or ‘LLMs’ may come across as overly technical, clinical, and alienating. Thus, I propose extending Mustafa’s concept of GenAI as a ‘Digital Species’ towards a more humanistic perspective.

What if we viewed this wave of innovation as the emergence of ‘Digital Companions’ — as intelligent as our pets, children, or perhaps even friends, but more importantly, human-friendly and here to support us? They could be as uniquely individual as we are, imbued with our values, principles, and distinctive traits.

In terms of analogy, cast your mind back to the immensely popular Tamagotchi era of the mid-90s. I envision this new era of GenAI as the age of ‘Digital Companions’, where each of us, and our organizations, has access to our own set of incredibly smart and capable ‘Digital Companions’ — our modern-day Tamagotchis, so to speak.

Check out Mustafa Suleyman’s TED talk for further insight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKNCiRWd_j0